Jonas Aidoo stresses importance of focusing on next game up

The Tennessee Volunteers picked up a huge victory Wednesday night when they knocked off the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. After a win like that, it could be easy for a team to lose focus. Which is why Volunteers forward Jonas Aidoo stressed after the game the importance of focusing on their next matchup.

“We can’t get comfortable. I mean anything can happen. So, we just gotta go in there and fight. We gotta get them back,” said Aidoo.

Tennessee’s next opponent is none other than the Kentucky Wildcats. Despite Kentucky having an up-and-down season, they have already beat Tennessee earlier in the season, At Thompson bowling arena 63-56. A win against Alabama on Wednesday was huge and could play a significant part in Tennessee’s seating in the men’s NCAA tournament in March.

But staying focused and knocking off Kentucky could be a much sweeter victory for the volunteers. One: they will be exacting revenge on a rival that beat them on their home court. And two: a Tennessee victory could play a significant role in Kentucky missing the men’s tournament.

Aidoo reveals what led to his strong game against Alabama

Alabama is undefeated no more in SEC play. The Crimson Tide visited rival Tennessee in Thomson-Boling on Wednesday night and were handed their first loss of the conference season by a reeling Volunteers club, who rebounded with their biggest win of the season despite losing two of their best swingmen. Senior Josiah-Jordan James and freshman Julian Phillips — two of the team’s top-six scorers — both sat out. No matter, because underclassmen forwards Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka helped plug the gap.

Especially Aidoo, who recorded the first double-double of his career with 12 points and 11 rebounds along with some excellent defense. In a massive game with other players in the front-court down, Aidoo stepped up and gave easily his most important performance (and likely his best) in a Volunteer uniform. Also credit Rick Barnes for countering Alabama’s bigger lineups with some of his own, knowing he had to replace more versatile forwards with a traditional big like Aidoo.

After the game, Aidoo was one of several Vols who got the nod to participate in the postgame press conference, where he was asked how the coaching staff prepared him for the biggest matchup of his young career.

“Coach Barnes, he always tried to push people, so he tried to kind of mess with me a little bit,” admitted the big fella. “I don’t know what to say about that. To be honest, he’s just trying to get me going in practice so I can play hard. I feel like I played pretty hard tonight. It was a great team win.”